Mop having removable pocket-type mop head



Oct. 20, 1959 E. A. scHAEFER 2,908,931

MOP HAVING REMOVABLE POCKET-TYPE MOP HEAD Filed June 17. 1957 Afforwey.

United States Patent lO `Mor HAVING REMoVABLE PoCKETfTYPE y MOP HEAD Emmett A. Schaefer, St. Louis, Mo. Application June 17, 1957, Serial No. 666,041

` 2 claims. (c1. 15-228) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in hand mops, and relates specically toa new and novel combination of mop head and handle whereby the mop head may be quickly and easily removed for cleaning or replacement.

An important object of the present invention is `the provision of a hand mop comprising a mop head having opposed pockets therein, a holder having formations relatively movable to each other so as to be insertable in said pockets, and means operable to lock said'formations against relative movement, whereby said mop head is secured on said holder.

Another object is the provision, in a hand mop of the character described, of novel means securing the holder parts against relative movement in any direction, so that the mop head may be held by said holder in substantially planar form for convenient usage. v

`Other objects Aare simplicity and economy of construction, efficiency and dependability of operation, and adaptability for use in various types of mops and dusters.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specilicarion, reference will be had to the drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a hand mop embodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevational View of the mop, showing the mop head and related parts of the holder,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 2, with the various layers slightly spread apart for clarity, and

Fig. 4 -is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing only the holder, with the lock member slightly retracted from its operative position.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 2 applies generally to a mop head comprising, as shown, a rectangular planar facing sheet 4 of natural or synthetic sponge material, and a backing sheet y6 coextensive with facing `4 and stitched thereto around its edges, as indicated at 8. It will be `apparent that the facing sheet could be of cloth, ber, padding, abrasive cloth, or any other material suitable to the job to be performed, and could also be of other shapes.` The backing sheet, may be of fabric or other pliable material. The overall pliability of the mop head permits easy cleaning or laundering thereof after each use. Backing sheet 6 has a window 10` formed therein, -said window being located centrally of one of the longer edges of the mop head and extending partially across the narrower dimension of said head, as best shown in Fig. 2.

The holder 12 constitutes a single length of resilient wire rebent on itself at 14 to present a pair of elongated, normally parallel reaches 16 which form the mop handle. The free end portion of each reach 1116 is bent to present a substantially rectangular formation 18, said formations lying normally in the plane of handle reaches 16, and being disposed respectively at the distal sides of reaches 16. `It will be noted that said rectangular formations I2 are connected to reaches r16. only at the extreme ends of' the latter, and that the wire reaches 18 forming the sides of said lformations closest to reaches V116 are spaced apart from said reaches, `for a purpose to be described.

The lock device 22 comprises a sheet metal member having a pair of parallel edges formed to present tubular guides 24 in which the handle reaches I16 areerespectively retained for -longitudinal sliding and pivotal movement. Said lock member is also provided with a pair of ears 26 which extend transversely thereto in opposite directions, and are of lsufficient length to overlap the rectangular formations 18, -as clearly vshown in Figs. 2-4.

The operation of the device is believed readily apparent. Assuming that the parts are fully assembled in position for use, `as shownin the drawing, and it is desired to remove the head 2 Vfor cleaning or replacement, 'the lock member 22 is grasped and slid along handle reaches 16 of the handle to a point distant from the head. A finger hole 28 formed in member 22 facilitates this operation. The flexibility of the reaches l16 then permits the rectangular formations 18 to be moved easily into overlapping relation, so that they may be withdrawn through window 10 of backing sheet 6. To attach a new or cleaned mop head, the process is reversed, formations 18 being forced into overlapping relation for insertion into window 10. The lock member 22 is then slid to a position between formations :18, as best shown in Fig. 2. In this position, it prevents formations L18 from moving 4toward each other and thereby positively prevents their withdrawal through window 10. It will be noted that in this position also, the tubular guides 24 of the lock engage slightly curved or crimped portions E30 of reaches '16 (Fig. 4), whereby the lock is held frictionally in its operative position. The ears 26 of the lock overlap the rectangular lformations 18 and prevent deformation of the holder which might occur if the handle reaches 16 were twisted, which would cause the formations 18 to move out of coplanar relation. Since such a movement would tend to move one or the other of ears 26 through the plane of the formation .18 which it overlaps, and since such movement is prevented by the overlapping relation, the holder is thus prevented from twisting and the head is thus positively held in planar form for eiicient usage.

It will be seen that since the effective or operative portions of rectangular formations 18 are the outer parts thereof which are expanded laterally outwardly from the edges of window 10, the space between the facing and backing sheets which is disposed laterally outwardly from the window may -be defined as a pair of confronting, opposed pockets, these pockets being designated respectively by the numerals 30 and 32 in Fig. 3, and being engaged by the outer portions of formations 18. The portion of backing sheet `6 disposed between the end limits of window 10 is useful in shielding the lock member 22 to prevent it from marring furniture or other objects with which it may come in contact during use of the mop. The mop shown is small and is intended primarily for use in washing areas of difficult access, as for example in washing the outer surface of a lower window sash when said sash has been raised to overlap the upper sash, so that any cleaning implement must be inserted between the sashes. However, it will be apparent that the inventive principles here involved may be applied to mops or other cleaning implements of many different sizes and shapes.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that many minor changes of structure and operations could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

Whatl claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: p,

1. A hand mop comprising a pliable, generally planar mop headhaving a facing ysheet and a backing sheet secured togetheraround their edges, said backing sheet having a 'window formed therein of restricted area as compared to the area of said mop head, and a holder comprising -a pair of elongated, normally parallel and spaced apart resilient members joined together at a point remote from said mop head, said resilient members each carrying a generally planar lateral enlargement at its free end, said enlargements being normally co-planar with said resilient members and extending transversely oppositely therefrom, said enlargements being movable into overlapping relation by the flexibility of said resilient membersl for insertion into said mop head window, and a'rigid locking member slidably coupled to both of said resilient members, each of said resilient members being pivotal about its axis relative to said locking member to said locking members and said enlargements are there when said resilient members are twisted, said locking 20 member having means thereon to restrain each said resilient member against movement laterally of its axis relative to said locking member, whereby to hold said resilient members in rigidly spaced apart relation where they are engaged by said locking member, said enlargements being connected to said resilient members only at the extreme free ends of the latter, and having portions by secured against movement out of coplanar relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent` UNITED STATES PATENTS Libe sept. 7, 1897V 

